Gaming system, jackpot controller, and a jackpot triggering method

Abstract

A jackpot triggering method comprising: determining a jackpot trigger value from a current value of at least one jackpot trigger parameter; generating a submission value in response to receipt of a contribution associated with a gaming device participating in the jackpot, by using a value of at least one contribution parameter associated with the contribution as a seed value to randomly generate the submission value; and making a jackpot award if the submission value corresponds to the jackpot trigger value.

1. A jackpot triggering method comprising:
 determining a jackpot trigger value from a current value of at least one jackpot trigger parameter; 
 generating a submission value in response to receipt of a contribution associated with a gaming device participating in the jackpot, by using a value of at least one contribution parameter associated with the contribution as a seed value to randomly generate the submission value; and 
 making a jackpot award if the submission value corresponds to the jackpot trigger value; and 
 wherein the at least one jackpot trigger parameter is selected from the group including:
 current time; 
 current pool value; and 
 number of contributions made. 
 
 
     
     
       2. A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein there are a defined set of values of the jackpot trigger parameter and determining the jackpot value comprises mapping the current value to one of the defined set of values, and the submission values may only take values corresponding to the defined set of values. 
     
     
       3. A method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the number of values in the set of values corresponds to a desired hit rate of the jackpot. 
     
     
       4. A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one contribution parameter is selected from the group including:
 arrival time of the contribution; 
 number of games played on a gaming device associated with the contribution; 
 turnover on a gaming device associated with the contribution; and 
 total win on a gaming device associated with the contribution. 
 
     
     
       5. A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the jackpot trigger value is determined from at least two parameters. 
     
     
       6. A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the jackpot trigger parameter is at least one parameter associated with a jackpot controller. 
     
     
       7. A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the submission value is determined from at least two parameters associated with the contribution. 
     
     
       8. A jackpot controller arranged to:
 determine a jackpot trigger value from a current value of at least jackpot trigger parameter; 
 generate a submission value in response to receipt of a contribution associated with a gaming device participating in the jackpot, by using a value of at least one contribution parameter associated with the contribution as a seed value to randomly generate the submission value; and 
 make a jackpot award if the submission value corresponds to the jackpot trigger value; and 
 wherein the at least one jackpot trigger parameter is selected from the group including:
 current time; 
 current pool value; and 
 number of contributions made. 
 
 
     
     
       9. A jackpot controller as claimed in  claim 8 , comprising a random number generator arranged to receive the value of the contribution parameter and generate the submission value. 
     
     
       10. A jackpot controller as claimed in  claim 8 , comprising a contribution processor arranged to process the contribution to determine the value of the at least one contribution parameter. 
     
     
       11. A jackpot controller as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein there are a defined set of values of the jackpot trigger parameter and the jackpot controller is arranged to determine the jackpot value by mapping the current value to one of the defined set of values, and wherein the submission values may only take values corresponding to the defined set of values. 
     
     
       12. A jackpot controller as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the number of values in the set of values corresponds to a desired hit rate of the jackpot. 
     
     
       13. A jackpot controller as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the at least one contribution parameter is selected from the group including:
 arrival time of the contribution; 
 number of games played on a gaming device associated with the contribution; 
 turnover on a gaming device associated with the contribution; and 
 total win on a gaming device associated with the contribution. 
 
     
     
       14. A jackpot controller as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the jackpot controller is arranged to determine the jackpot trigger value from at least two parameters. 
     
     
       15. A jackpot controller as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the jackpot trigger parameter is at least one parameter associated with a jackpot controller. 
     
     
       16. A jackpot controller as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the submission value is determined from at least two parameters associated with the contribution. 
     
     
       17. A jackpot controller as claimed in  claim 8  further comprises a processor arranged to process contributions to determine whether to make a jackpot award. 
     
     
       18. A gaming system comprising
 a plurality of gaming devices which may participate in a jackpot by making jackpot contributions; and 
 a jackpot controller arranged to:
 determine a jackpot trigger value from a current value of at least jackpot trigger parameter 
 generate a submission value in response to receipt of each contribution from each gaming device participating in the jackpot, by using a value of at least one contribution parameter associated with the contribution as a seed value to randomly generate the submission value; and 
 make a jackpot award if the submission value corresponds to the jackpot trigger value; and 
 
 wherein the at least one jackpot trigger parameter is selected from the group including:
 current time; 
 current pool value; and 
 number of contributions made. 
 
 
     
     
       19. A gaming system as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the jackpot controller comprises a random number generator arranged to receive the value of the contribution parameter and generate the submission value. 
     
     
       20. A gaming system as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the jackpot controller comprises a contribution processor arranged to process the contribution to determine the value of the at least one contribution parameter. 
     
     
       21. A gaming system as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein there are a defined set of values of the jackpot trigger parameter and the jackpot controller is arranged to determine the jackpot value by mapping the current value to one of the defined set of values, and wherein the submission values may only take values corresponding to the defined set of values. 
     
     
       22. A gaming system as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein the number of values in the set of values corresponds to a desired hit rate of the jackpot. 
     
     
       23. A gaming system as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the at least one contribution parameter is selected from the group including:
 arrival time of the contribution; 
 number of games played on a gaming device associated with the contribution; 
 turnover on a gaming device associated with the contribution; and 
 total win on a gaming device associated with the contribution. 
 
     
     
       24. A gaming system as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the jackpot controller is arranged to determine the jackpot trigger value from at least two parameters. 
     
     
       25. A gaming system as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the jackpot trigger parameter is at least one parameter associated with a jackpot controller. 
     
     
       26. A gaming system as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the submission value is determined from at least two parameters associated with the contribution.